Aug. 4, 2015: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio holds up a chart documenting the cases of Legionnaires' disease while speaking to reporters at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)

NEW YORK –  Another person has died from an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City, bringing the death toll to eight.

City health officials say 97 people have been diagnosed with the disease, which is caused when water contaminated with a certain bacteria is inhaled into the lungs. The eight people who died were older and had other medical problems.

Officials say the outbreak has been traced to cooling towers in the South Bronx.

The towers can release mist. Five towers in the area tested positive for legionella bacteria and have since been decontaminated.

Health officials say Legionnaires' disease is easily diagnosed and treated with antibiotics but can pose a serious risk to anyone with an underlying medical condition. There have been 2,400 cases nationwide this year.